For many years now, U.S. employers and other groups that offer health insurance and benefits to covered individuals have seen annual increases in their health care costs. As health care costs continue to rise, employers and groups that offer health insurance are trying to understand why costs are increasing and what they can do to control costs. Because costs are tied to the claims that employees or group members file under the health care plan, analysis of claim data may help employers and groups understand why costs are increasing.
Although an analysis of applicable claim data is helpful in understanding, and, therefore, controlling health care costs, performing an analysis is not necessarily a straightforward task. For example, administrative claim data does not contain information on an insured's height and weight, and yet obesity (as measured by the Body Mass Index) is a key contributor to health and wellness and, therefore, health care costs. Many health conditions are related to obesity and so it is useful to understand the levels or degrees of obesity present in a population. The levels or degrees of obesity in an insured population can influence the claims that are made under a health care plan and help a sponsor understand factors that may be contributing to the costs. However, without the height and weight data for the individuals covered by the plan, it is difficult to determine the level or degree of obesity among the individuals, and therefore, whether health care costs under the plan are potentially attributable to obesity-related health conditions. There is a need for a computerized system and method for estimating the presence and levels or degrees of obesity in an insured population using claims data.